Hay-loader.



v 'PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906. A. JOHNSTON.

HAY LOADER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1905.

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WITNESSES:

N0"-' '."8l2.793 PATENTED FEB. 13,1906.

5. A. JOHNSTON.

HAY LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1905.

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. UNITED sTATEs PATENT orrron.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS;

HAY-LOADERQ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed July 29,1905-1 Serial No; 271,822.

has for its object to providea simple, practical, and efficient machine to gather the hay from the ground as left by the mowerand load it upon the wagon to which the machine is attached.

To this end the invention comprises an inclined deck having positely-reciprocating rakes operating over the same a rotary gathering cylinder taking the hay from the ground, and a conve er between the deck and the gathering-cylinr er for delivering the hay to the rakes on the deck.

In the accci'impanying drawings, Figure 1v is a side elevation of a hay-loader involving the features of the invention. Fig. 2 a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation looking from the front of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the traction-wheels and the driving-gearing cooperating therewith. Fig. 5 is a detail View showing the mode of suspending the forward end of the reciprocating rakes.

Referring to the drawings, a indicates the deck, which follows the usual construction in this type of machine and consists of a framework having a series of longitudinal slats fori'ning a platform over which the hay is advanced progressively by the rakes until it is forced over the upper end, of said deck and drop ed upon the wagon. The rakes b, which cooperate with the dcck arc also of the ordinary well-known type of reci 'irocating or "Walkihg rakes and consist of ongitudinal bars I), each having a series of pendent spring-teethc attached throughout itslength, which are relatively rigid against movement in the direction of the advance of the bars I), but which. swing freely in a reverse direction when the bars are retracted, as will be well understood bythose skilled. in the art. The rear ends of the bars I) slide over a suitable cross-brace connecting the side frames of the machine and are accurately guided and spaced by means of the l'istance-nieces 71. so.-

eured to said cross-braces, while the forward ends of the rakes are suspended and guided by swinging bales d, attached to the respective bars b and engaging gu'i .le-rods e, mounted above and parallel with the deck.

The deck a is supported by a framework consisting of side members f and g, which are. strengthened by suitable cross-braces at appropriate intervals, and between. the side members f is secured the tongue or rod by means of which the machine is attached to a wagon, as will be well understood.

The framework of the machine is su 10rted upon traction-wheels '22, which are mounted upon stub-axlcs w, secured to the frame zork at the junction of the side members f and. g on the respective sides of the machine,

said stub-axles being strengthened by braces w, attached to the ends of said axles and. to the side niembers of the machine-frame.

Jonrnaled in the machine-frame, betweenv the traction-wheels 'u, in suital'ile journalbrackets s is a gathering cylinder, which serves to take the bay from the ground as it is left by the mower. The rotary gatherer con sists of a reel like structure having end headsw", centrally journaled in the brackets s, which heads are connected by longitudinal shafts or bars (1/; refcrably four in number, one end of each oi said. bars being journaled in the left-hand head 1' and'the other end thereof passing through the right-hand head and being provided with a cranked. portion d, which engages a corresponding slotf in a stationary cam c,'locatcd eccentrically on the bearing-bracket s, so that as the reel of the gathering-cylinder rotates the longitudinal bars 11- will be given a partial rotation for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described. Rigidly secured to the longitudinal bars (1/ of the reel is a series of rake-heads (1, each of which. is attached to its corresponding supporting-bar o by cli )S 9, so that as the bar (1/ is rotated the head 0 moves therewith. Secured to each of the heads 0 is a se- .rics of i" rwardly-curvcd spring rake-teeth I),

each of which has a coiled section encircling the bar (1/.

Rotary motion "is imparted to the gathering-cylinder from the traction-wheels I) by.

means of gears u, attached to the hubs of the respective Wheels, whichnieslrwith pinions t on the end of the stub-shaftsprojecting from the heads rand journalcd in the brackets s.

The peripheral edges of the rcel heads 1- are nrnvidml with sprocket-teeth, with which c0- IIO operate the drive-chains g of an endless conveyer which passes over an idler-reel mounted in the machine-frame just below the rear edge of the deck a, said idler-reel consisting of a shaft 0, sprocket-wheels p, and intermediate connecting members Between the sprocket-chains, which are coated on opposite sides of the reel, are a series of strand- Wires g, which form the body of the conveyer and which pass around the rotar gathering c linder, engaging the longitudlnal bars a t ereof between the rake-teeth b and also encircle the intermediate portion p of the idler-reel. Secured to the strand-wires g are a series of transverse slats g, which are attached at their outer ends to the s rocket-chain and which constitute, with t e strand-wire aforesaid, a lattice-like continuous apron or belt conveyer. It will be noted that the strand-wires g and the crossslats q are solocated with respect to the raketeeth on the gathering-c linder that as the lat-- ter rotates the teeth wi 1 clear the cross-slats on the delivery side of the conveyor and pass out behind the slats on the opposite side, and to insure the teeth I) clearing the cross-slats and also to prevent said teeth pulling the hay through the open meshes of the conve er the rake-heads c and the teeth a, attache thereto, are given a partial rotation to draw the teeth partly within the reel member of the gatherer by means-of the crank members 1' of the ion itudinal bars a, which engage the slot f in the eccentric cam 6', thereby rocking the shafts a and the. attached rake-header sufficiently to retract the teeth 1) until they clear the slats of the conveyer immediately adjacent to said teeth. The continued rotation of the gatherer reel causes the teeth which have just cleared thedelivery side of the conveyer to be projected behind the crossslat on the opposite side of the conveyor, and as the cranked portions of the supportingshaft a pass on into engagement with the section .of the cam e nearer the center of r0- tation of the reel it will be seen that the teeth 1) will be radually projected through the meshes of t e conveyer and with a sweepin motion take the loose hay from the groun and deposit it upon the delivery side of said conveyer. The proper delivery of the hay from the rake-fingers of the rotary gatherer to the conveyer is insured by suitable guardfingers h, which overlie the conveyer and also serve to prevent the hay slipping or being blown off the conveyer.

Alternate reciprocatory -motion may be imparted to the rakes which operate over the deck to advance the hay along the latter by any appropriate means. A simple and eflicientconnection to accomplish this operation is illustrated in the drawings'andconsists of a transverse shaft i, mounted upon the side frame members 9 and having mounted thereon at appropriate intervals rocklevers 7', each of which is connected by suitable a shorter crank n on the end of the idler-reel shaft 0, so that as the latter is rotated by the advance of the conveyer oscillatory motion is imparted to the shaft 7) and correspond ingly to the rock-levers 9', fast thereon, which in turn alternately advance and retract the rakes over the deck. I i

The loader is attached to a wagon in the ordinary way, and as it is advanced over the field in which the hay has been left by the mower the rotation of the traction-wheels drives the gathering-cylinder through the intermediate gearing u and t, and as said cylinder rotates the spring rake teeth carried thereb I are alternately advanced and re tracte cranked shafts a, supporting the rake-heads and the stationary cam e. The conveyor, which receives the hay from the rake-fingers of the gathering-cylinder, is itself driven directly from the gathering-cylinder and in turn imparts the proper reciprocatory motion to the deck-rakes through the rotary crank n, pitman m, oscillato crank Z, and rock-levers connected to sai rakes.

Having t us described my invention, what I claim is v 1. In a hay-loader, an inclined deck, oppositely-reciprocating rakes operating over said deck, a rotary gathering-cylinder having rake teeth moving in a forward, direction over the ground for taking the hay from the ground, and a conveyor between the deck and gathering-cylinder for delivering the hay to the rakes,

deck, a rotary gat raring-cylinder for takin the hay from the ground, aving a series 0 horizontal rake-heads provided with spring rake-teeth, the said teeth moving in a forward direction over the ground and a conve er between the deck and the atheringcy inder for deliveringthe hay to t e rakes.

4. In a hay-loader, an inclined deck, oppositely-reciprocatin rakes operatin over said .deck, a rotary at ering-cylinder or takin the hay from t e ground, having a series 0 horizontal r'ake-heads provided with springthrough the cooperation of the lIO sitely-reciprocating rakes operating over ear rake teeth, crank-shafts upon which said rake-heads are hung, a cam for rocking said shafts to vary the inclination of the springteeth as the cylinder revolves, and a conveyor between the deck and the gathering-cylinder for delivering the hay to the rakes.

5. In a hay-loader, an inclined deck, oppodeclr, a rotary gathering-cylinder for taking the hay from the ground, having a series of horizontal rake-heads provided with spring rake teeth, crank shafts iipon which said rakeheads are hung, a. earn for rocking said shafts to vary the inclination of the springteeth as the cylinder revolves, an endless conveyer having strand-Wires passing over the gathering-c "-linder between the spring-teeth, and cross-s ats secured to said strand-wires,

' said con'veyer serving to transfer the hayfroin the teeth of the gathering cylinder to the rakes'on the deck.

6 In a hay-loader, an inclined deck, oppositely-reciprocating rakes operating over said deck, and a gatheringcylinder for taking the hay from the ground comprising rotary heads, crank-shafts between said heads, horn zontal rake-heads on said shafts and having spring-teeth and a stationary cam cooperating with said shafts to rock the latter and thereby vary the inclination of the springteeth.

7. in a hay-loader, an inclined deck, oppositely-reciprocating rakes operating over said deck, a gathering-cylinder for talrin the hay from the ground comprising rotaryheads on said shafts and crank-shafts between said heads, horizontal rake-heads having springteeth and a stationary cani cooperating with said shafts to rock the latter and thereby vary the inclination of the spring-teeth, and a conveyer for delivering the hay from the gathering -cylinder to the rakes on the deck, said conveyer comprising sprocket-chains engaging the heads of the gatherer-cylinder, an idler-reel cooperating with said chains, strandwires engaging the gatherer-cylinder and the idler reel, and cross slats attached to said strand-wires and the sprocket-chains,

8. In a hay-loader, an inclined deck, oppositely-reciprocating rakes operating over sai deck, a gathering cylinder for takin. the hay from the ground comprising rotarylieads on said shafts and crank-shafts between said heads, horizontal rake-heads having springteeth, and a stationary cam cooperating with said shafts to rock the latter and thereby vary the inclination of the spring-teeth, a conveyer for delivering the hay from the gathering-cylinder to the rakes on the deck, said conveyor comprising sprocket-chains enaging the heads of the gatherer-oylinder, an 1dler-reel cooperating with said chains, strand- Wires engaging the gatherer-cylinder and the idler reel, and cross slats attached to said strand wires and sprocket chains, gearing connecting the traction-wheels with the gathering-cylinder for driving the latter and the conveyer, and means connecting the idlerreel with the rakes on the deck for reciprocating the latter.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witi'iesses.

EDNARD A. JOHNSTON Witnesses:

E. R. Tnoiarson', T. B. PRERIOHS. 

